“‘Please Wait’: New-and-Improved HealthCare.gov Has Same Old ProblemsAfter a glowing news conference yesterday citing “night and day”
progress on HealthCare.gov, I decided to log in this morning and take
the Web site for a test drive, as I’m sure many others are doing. Early
reports had been promising. What I found was hardly encouraging —
long delays loading pages, an endless circle of tasks (some already
completed) and ultimately an error message.The load-time issues (sometimes more than a minute) reminded me of the problems users encountered in the very first days of the Web site, which handles health insurance enrollment for residents of 36 states. It also appears to contradict what Health and Human Services officials said had been fixed. [snip]Additionally, once I had completed and submitted my application and verified my identity, the site told me that I was missing information and had to review it again. Nothing was missing. Ultimately, I got an error message telling me to come back later.The Obama administration says the site can now handle 50,000 unique
visitors at one time and 800,000 over the course of a day. But on Day
One of the new-and-improved site, it doesn’t appear able to keep up with the load. No wonder HHS is encouraging users to come back at off-peak hours.Some screen shots of my experience are below.Immediately I encountered delays:

Screenshot by screenshot the Pulitzer winner encountered the same
scourging we did. The technicians willing to “chat” could not help him
either. We wept as we realized today is the second day of the second
month and the second deadline as the hapless ObamaCare website continues
to trap the unwary and the misbegotten. Sad, sad, sad. Our crocodile
tears flowed.

The nightmare that is ObamaCare.

Mia Farrow finds it wonderful and can't stop Tweeting about it.

But then she is elderly and is on Medicare.

I guess when you're not actually effected by ObamaCare you can love it.

And since we're talking Mia, can we get honest.

Ronan Farrow is not handsome or good looking.

He's White and he's blond so he fits the culture's racist stereotype.

But that doesn't make him good looking.

He's 25 years old and he's getting his own MSNBC show.

For what reason?

Because he's a gifted interviewer?

We haven't seen it.

Because one of his (bad) freelance pieces broke actual news?

Nope.

Because he's accomplished with his life?

Nope.

Because a little White boy who's the child of a famous actress and a famous director-writer-actor.

If his parents weren't Mia Farrow and Woody Allen, Ronan would have to get a real job like most Americans.

In the 80s classic "St. Elmo's Fire," Alley Sheedy and Mare Winningham try to stage an intervention on Demi's Jules who is doing coke, sleeping with her boss and hundreds of other things. Jules blows them off.Jules:
I don't know why you're both so worried. So, I bop him for a couple of
years, get his job when he gets his hands caught in the vault, do a
black mink ad, retire in utter disgrace, then write a best seller and be
a fabulous host on my own talk show.

Ronan hasn't even done that. He hasn't even done any of that.

Ricki Lake had to actually do things to get her own talk show and even then, in 1992, there were people saying she was too young.

Now, wet behind his ears Ronan, the William Hurt of the 21st century, gets his own talk show.

It must be hard on him knowing he has accomplished nothing and all his breaks are because of his famous parents.

It must be hard for him to actually get it up. But them maybe Mia comes in the room to help him with that too?

Sunday, World Bulletin observed,
"Turkey's courtship of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish region has infuriated
the central government Baghdad, which says it has sole authority to
manage Iraqi energy resources." Yes, Nouri spent the continuing to
throw tantrums looking like a fool on the world stage in the process.
Iraq's Prime Minister of too many years, Nouri al-Maliki, is an
international joke -- and apparently determined to make himself even
more of one.

UPI explains, "The Kurdish government in northern Iraq reached a deal with Turkey to
supply oil through a cross-border pipeline. The government said in a
statement Tuesday the pipeline would run from the Taq Taq oil field in
the Kurdish north to the Turkish port of Ceyhan and be able to export 1
million barrels of oil per day by 2015." Today, Sevil Erkus (Hurriyet Daily News) reports,
"Iraqi Kurdish officials are set to visit Baghdad in the coming days to
discuss oil revenue sharing and metering, a move precipitated by
Turkey’s urging of the autonomous region to enter into talks with the
central government on the issue of hydrocarbon resources." Today also
saw Iraq's Minister of Oil Abdul Kareem al-Luaibi make a series of vague
statements. However, as Nayla Razzouk (Bloomberg News) reports, "Even so, Luaibi’s comments shed little light
on how the agreement conforms with what may be a separate deal
between the KRG and Turkey."

As if the empty statements weren't embarrassing enough for the
Baghdad-based government, the one million barrels a day factoid was
noted elsewhere today as well. Judit Neurink (Rudaw) reports:

The
oil pipeline from Iraqi Kurdistan to Turkey is ready to transport
300,000 barrels a day, and as much as a million barrels by 2015.
Kurdistan will soon become a net contributor to the national income of
Iraq.This was the happy message broadcasted by Kurdish officials at the
Kurdistan-Iraq Oil & Gas Conference held in the Kurdistan capital of
Erbil. Some eight hundred professionals involved in the oil and gas
industry attended the third conference in its kind in Iraqi Kurdistan.Central in the speeches during the opening session were the fast
growth of Kurdistan’s oil industry – from nothing in 2003 to 300.000
barrels a day - and the message this sends to the Iraqi government in
Baghdad.

Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq - (KRG.org) – Prime Minister Nechirvan
Barzani, speaking at a conference in Erbil today, highlighted Kurdistan
Region’s contribution to the global energy market and reiterated
Kurdistan’s commitment to the Iraqi constitution in the Region’s
dealings with Turkey.
The Prime Minister referred to the discussions over the past two years
between the Kurdistan Regional Government and Turkey on cooperation in
oil and gas, which includes oil exports, and said that the framework
agreement between Erbil and Ankara adheres to the Iraqi constitution.
He said, ‘I have insisted at all times of these negotiations on the
transparency and accountability of the export process and revenues from
the Kurdistan Region. And here I would like to announce that we will
invite officials from the federal government and independent third
parties to observe all stages of the process.’ The Prime Minister was speaking at the third Kurdistan Iraq Oil and Gas
Conference which has attracted almost 1,000 executives from the energy
industry as well as senior diplomats from across the world. Iraq’s
Deputy Prime Minister Rowsch Shaways, the KRG’s Natural Resources
Minister Ashti Hawrami and Turkey’s Energy Minister Taner Yildiz also
spoke at the opening of the conference.

Earthstaff, are delighted to be a sponsor at the 2013 Kurdistan-Iraq Oil & Gas Conference
at the beginning of December. The conference, now in its third year, is
supported by The Kurdistan Regional Government and will be held at The
Saad Palace Convention Centre in Erbil, the capital city of the
semi-autonomous region of Iraq.The event takes place over four days and will feature 45 speakers, 850 delegates and 41 sponsors,
one of which is Earthstaff. We will have our own display stand at the
conference giving us the opportunity to network with the attendees,
delegates and major Oil and Gas firms like Chevron, Exxon Mobil and
Gazprom who will also be at the event. Attendees to the conference will
be hearing from H.E Nerchirvan Barzani, Prime Minister of Kurdistan, H.E
Dr Ashti Hawrami, Kurdistan Minister of Natural Resources and Ian
MacDonald, one of the VP’s at Chevron who will all be speaking at the
event.Over the past few years, Earthstaff has enjoyed great success
supplying professionals to numerous companies operating within
Kurdistan. This success has lead to the Earthstaff establishing its own
presence within the region by opening an office
close the centre of the capital of Erbil in September. The Oil &
Gas Conference therefore provides the perfect platform for Earthstaff to
showcase its talents and explain to companies how we can assist them
get the best out of their operations in Kurdistan as well as allowing us
to expand and develop our own operations in the rapidly growing market
of the Middle East.

It must be hard for such an unbalanced paranoid like Nouri to look at
the KRG and see one success after another while his own two terms as
Prime Minister of Iraq have delivered so little, accomplished near
nothing.

Nouri is a member of the political party Dawa, he is the leader of the
State of Law political slate. An e-mail from a State of Law MP
expressed outrage that I didn't note a little even Nouri held yesterday
so let's get out of the way right now.

That's beyond stupid, that State of Law and Nouri think that meaningless photo-op amounts to anything is beyond stupid.

Nouri sitting around a table with women will only remind Iraqi women
that Nouri's second Cabinet included no women to start with. In fact,
the Minister of Women? That was (male) Hoshyar Zebari for months before
Nouri found a woman who was willing to stand up in public and insist
that women's rights would lead to victimization of women and that a
woman should just do what some man told her.

Let's talk money because money is one of the things that prompted the photo op.

What brings in big money to Iraq besides oil?

Right now, outside of the KRG, big money's really only comes in as international aid.

And most of that money requires basic human rights be observed in Iraq.
A government -- not the US -- explained to Nouri that some of his aid
from their western country was in jeopardy due to the way Iraqi women
are being systematically stripped of their rights.

It was thought that he needed to make some sort of a 'statement' in order for Iraq to continue to receive various grants.

It was also thought that Nouri should speak out against violence.

That was too much for Nouri even when the government official pointed out that others already had.

Let's drop back to last week for this from the November 26th snapshot:

Contrary to popular imagination, Iraqi women enjoyed far more freedom
under Saddam Hussein’s secular Ba’athist government than women in other
Middle Eastern countries. In fact, equal rights for women were
enshrined in Iraq’s Constitution in 1970, including the right to vote,
run for political office, access education and own property. Today,
these rights are all but absent under the U.S.-backed government of
Nouri al-Maliki.Prior to the devastating economic sanctions of the 1990s, Iraq’s
education system was top notch and female literacy rates were the
highest in the region, reaching 87 percent in 1985. Education was a major priority for Saddam Hussein’s regime, so much so that in 1982 Iraq received
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) award for eradicating illiteracy. But the education system
crumbled from financial decay under the weight of the sanctions pushing
over 20 percent of Iraqi children out of school by 2000 and reversing
decades of literacy gains. Today, a quarter of Iraqi women are illiterate, more than double the rate for Iraqi men (11 percent). Female illiteracy in rural areas alone is as high as 50 percent.Women were integral to Iraq’s economy and held high positions in both
the private and public sectors, thanks in large part to labor and
employment laws that guaranteed equal pay, six months fully paid
maternity leave and protection from sexual harassment. In fact, it can
be argued that some of the conditions enjoyed by working women in Iraq
before the war rivaled those of working women in the United States.

No to Violence against Women is a women’s rights organization founded
by a group of women’s rights activists back in 2010. It is one of the
organizations planning to organize a protest rally on November 25 in
front of the governor’s office as they protest against the poor
conditions of women’s rights and their struggles.
In the meantime, the Kurdistan Women’s Union, a women’s organization
affiliated with the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, the party of Kirkuk
Governor Najmadin Karim, is a member of the political bureau boycotting
the activities of No to Violence against Women and who view their rally
as an “opposition against the governor and not demanding the women’s
rights.”
Women’s activist Naska Muhammad told Kirkuk Now “The majority of the
women’s rights organizations have boycotted the rally as we feel it is
more targeted against the governor and it is politically driven.”

The Kurdistan Regional Government noted
the kick off on Monday and that Monday was International Day Against
Violence Against Women (that's a United Nations day around the world).
KRG Prime Minister Nechirvan Barzani addressed a large group of men and
women -- including ministers of government, MPs in the Iraqi Parliament
and the Kurdish Parliament, regional official and diplomats -- in
Erbil. Barzani noted that violence against women is violence against
human rights and the issue is not a 'women's issue' but one for the
entire community to work on. He called for justice which means changing
the laws in the KRG so that the light penalities for husbands killing
wives are eliminated (he noted the KRG law currently mirrors the law for
the rest of Iraq). He noted that they need to address the issue of
child brides and the practice of female genital mutilation. He cited
figures finding that reported violence against women had fallen in 2012
but he stated that the gains were not enough and the community needed to
work harder to address the issue.

Iraq's Human Rights Ministry also had an event.
Compare the photos. Even if you can't read Arabic, you'll note many
things. For example, the Baghdad turnout? Not that impressive in terms
of numbers. The KRG photo displays ten packed rows of attendees (and
the photo cuts off with the impression that there are rows not displayed
in the photo). In Baghdad, they take up about six rows -- with a lot
of empty spaces. In the KRG, you see shiny, healthy hair on the heads
of men and women. In Baghdad, most women have their hair covered.
(Four brave women on the second row do not cover their hair.) Nouri's
Prime Minister of Iraq. Did he address the gathering?

Nope.

He couldn't be bothered with the topic.

Ibithal al-Zaidi was present. Declaring she (now) believes in equality
between the sexes -- based on the law and religions. Whatever.

How important was the event?

They don't even bother to finish the press release -- it cuts off before the end of the release.

Nouri should have been present. By refusing to show up for the Baghdad
event, let alone speak at it, he made clear that violence against women
does not qualify as a serious issue to him.

We're not done with the KRG yet. Al Mada reports
that KRG President Massoud Barzani issued a statement decrying violence
against women saying it was inhumane and against the basic principals
of humanity. He noted the sacrifices and actions Iraqi women had taken
part in to create a better Iraq and called for rights to live safely and
free from oppression, discrimination and violence.

He is supposedly the leader of Iraq. The two-week "week of violence
against women" is continuing. Yet the leader of the country has never
denounced violence against women.

He's never called it out.

And under pressure from a foreign government, the best he could do was
assemble a group of women for a photo op in his attempt to ensure that
no foreign aid gets cut off.

The e-mail from the State of Law MP accused me of being part of a
conspiracy to destroy Nouri al-Maliki. I'd argue Nouri's doing such a
good job destroying himself that nobody else needs to take part, we just
need to step back and enjoy it.

Al Mada reports
women activists gathered Sunday at a cemetery in Sulaymaniyah province
to note that 130 graves in the cemetery are of women who were killed in
so-called 'honor' killings. These 130 graves do not even contain the
names of the women because 'honor' killings weren't enough apparently,
the women had to be disappeared. Hannah Xuan, one of the organizers,
told Al Mada that the women were killed by family and that few people
are ever prosecuted for these brutal crimes.

Yet Nouri stays silent about violence against women.

Yesterday, his office announced
he "will conduct an official visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran at
the endo f the week, to discuss bilateral relations between the two
countries and the issues of the addition to congratulating the Iranian
President Mr. Hassan Rohani on taking office as President of Iran."

A sudden visit to Iran?

Over the weekend, All Iraq News reported cleric and movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr declared today that Iran refuses to back Nouri for a third term. Today, NINA reports that
MP Amir Kanani, with Sadr's bloc, states Nouri's sudden visit is an
attempt "to get support for a third term" as prime minister. KUNA notes reactions to Nouri's announced trip (to take place tomorrow):

Speaking to KUNA, Ali Mosawi, the Prime Minister's media advisor, said
Al-Maliki aims to congratulate Iran on its recent deal with the P5+1
group by virtue of which several sanctions on Iran will be terminated.
"The Prime Minister will also discuss the bilateral relations,
notability the navigation in Shatt Al-Arab waterway, and regional issues
such as the conflict in Syria," he revealed.
"It is ridiculous to think that Prime Minister Al-Miliki is after
Iran's approval for his bid to a third term in office. The Iraqis are
solely the ones who select their prime ministers, presidents and
representatives in the parliament through ballot boxes," Mosawi
affirmed.[. . .]On the other hand, Al-Maliki's political rivals affirm that the visit
has ulterior purposes relating to the upcoming parliamentary elections.[. . ]
Similarly, Haider Al-Mulla, MP from the Iraqi National Dialogue Front,
said the visit will materialize Iran's growing influence on the
political scene in Iraq.
"Al-Maliki seeks to get Iran's blessing to his bid for reelection. How
can we rule out the ulterior motives behind the visit at a time when the
photos of (Iran's supreme leader Sayyed Ali) Khamenei are raised in
streets across Baghdad?" Al-Mulla wondered.

Today, NINA reports
that MP Amir Kanani, with Sadr's bloc, states Nouri's sudden visit is
an attempt "to get support for a third term" as prime minister.

Elections are supposed to take place April 30th. Not surprising, some
Iraqis don't feel elections matter. That's what happens when Barack
Obama pisses on democracy. The 2010 elections saw Nouri's State of Law
come in second place. He lost. He refused to step down.

The White House backed him.

They brokered a contract (The Erbil Agreement) to go around the votes, the will of the people, the Iraqi Constitution.

All to give Nouri a second term the Iraqi people didn't want him to have.

The low number of voters who showed up to update their records in
preparation for the legislative elections in April 2014 is worrisome and
raises questions about the will for change. The figures leaked from
the Electoral Commission indicate that fewer than 500,000 people
updated their records days before the expiration of the statutory
period.Even though leaders such as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and religious leader Muqtada al-Sadr called on voters to update their records, this failed to raise the participation rates to numbers significant enough to make an impact.This raises concerns of political leaders such as Ethel Nujaifi, the governor of Mosul, who said that only 4% of Mosul’s Arabs showed up to update their records.

That's because of US President Barack Obama who, in 2010, pissed on democracy and pissed on Iraqis.

The winner of the 2010 parliamentary elections was Iraqiya meaning the
head of that coalition, Ayad Allawi, should have become prime minister. NINA reports:

In a statement to the press on Sunday, Dec. 1, Allawi said that
continued attacks and assassination of the countries figures and
personalities make us worry for the future of Iraq from a plan drawn to
instigate fear and sectarian commotion aims to fragment the nation and
turn it into quarreling cults.He added that by continue losing such personalities, reflects the state of destabilization our homeland is in.Allawi
accused the Government of being responsible for the assassination of
tribal chief, dignitaries and innocent citizens; especially that it
proved its inability to protect citizens. He demanded Parliament to
question security commanders about such security breaches and
assassination of tribal chiefs and dignitaries.

Mutahidoun Alliance MP Khalid al-Alwani called the security forces to
"protect the citizens from the terrorist militias", pointing that the
"massacres" committed daily against the Sunni sect in Baghdad and other
provinces is the product of "inaccurate security plans".
In a press statement, he added that the areas around the capital are
living in "panic" due to the return of the militias and their killing
activities with the knowledge of the central government.

From yesterday's snapshot:Let's stay with political news out of Iraq. All Iraq News reports
today that arrest warrants have been issued against two members of
Moqtada al-Sadr's parliamentary bloc -- MP Jawad al-Shihaili and Baha
al-Araji. al-Araji is charged with "damaging general properties" and
al-Shihaili is charged with "stealing state's revenues." These warrants
come only after Wael Grace (Al Mada) reports
MPs are accusing Nouri al-Maliki of misuse of state resources on his
recent trip to Basra -- including, Moqtada's bloc pointed out, Nouri
offering up land plots. MPs see the visit as typical Nouri trying to
bribe for votes but the difference this time is that a law's been passed
to make this illegal.

A member of the Parliamentary Committee on Integrity, MP for the Ahrar
bloc Jawad al-Shayli accused the Dawa Party behind the arrest warrant
issued against him.He said, at a news conference in the House of
Representatives today that the judiciary issued an arrest warrant
against him and MP Jawad Hasnawi and a memorandum of bringing against
the head’sbloc Bahaa al-Araji , accusing the Dawa Party of being behind
it , with the aim of political targeting, comparing the work of the Dawa
Party, now with Baath Party.He added : "The warrant
relating to charges in accordance with Article 316 of embezzlement of
state funds , which means the money of the medical treatment, which he
took from the House of Representatives ."He said : "The MP, of
the State of law, Khalid al-Attiyah took four times this expense ,"
wondering : "Why did not issue an arrest warrant against Al-Attiyah, and
many MPs of state of law ," adding : "The aim of these warrants is
political targeting ."

Moving over to the US, Senator Patty Murray serves on the Senate
Veterans Affairs Committee and is the Chair of the Senate Budget
Committee. Her office issued the following yesterday:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Murray Press Office

Monday, December 2nd, 2013 (202) 224-2834

JBLM: Murray Keynotes Ceremony for Military Grads of Microsoft Training Program

First graduating class of military graduates of Microsoft IT training program inspired by Murray’s ‘VOW to Hire Heroes Act’

(Washington, D.C.) –Today,
U.S. Senator Patty Murray, a senior member of the Senate Veterans’
Affairs Committee, delivered the keynote speech at a graduation ceremony
to honor the first graduating class of military students from
Microsoft’s Software & Systems Academy pilot program at Saint
Martin’s University in Lacey, WA. The 22 graduates, currently active
duty service members from JBLM, will be hired into entry-level roles as
software testers at Microsoft or Launch Consulting. The Microsoft
Academy was inspired by Senator Murray’s “VOW to Hire Heroes Act.”

Key excerpts from Senator Murray’s speech:

“As we stand here today unemployment among recent veterans is way
down - on par with the rest of the country, post-9/11 veterans are being
hired at a faster rate than non-veterans, and at JBLM, where 45% of
service members once participated in transition assistance programs -
90% of the men and women transitioning to civilian life are getting the
help they deserve.”

“Now, these programs have been a huge success - but they’re only part
of the puzzle. Because no matter how much we do to prepare our veterans
for the workplace - we can’t succeed in fully transitioning them to
civilian life without strong, lasting partnerships with businesses,
labor organizations, colleges, and universities.

“And that’s why this program and this ceremony today are so special -
because right here, we have top-ranking military leaders from JBLM,
executives from Microsoft - one of our nation’s most successful
businesses, and educators from Saint Martin’s University all working
together to create a seamless, successful transition for men and women
who’ve worn the uniform. I can tell you - when I wrote the VOW Act, this
is exactly what I hoped and envisioned for all our nation’s
veterans...and let’s also give credit where it’s due: because the
transition program at JBLM is setting the standard for military bases
around the country. That’s something for Col. Hodges to be proud of, but
it’s also something that Saint Martin’s, Microsoft, and all of us in
the Puget Sound can be proud of.”

“Let’s take a good look at the accomplishments of the men and women
here today and replicate it, not only for every transitioning service
member at JBLM, but for all of those in Kitsap, Everett, Spokane, and
across the country.”

Full text of Senator Murray’s remarks below:

“Thank you so much, Dr. Heynderickx, for that introduction, and thank you for hosting us here at Saint Martin’s.

“I’d like to first thank Colonel Hodges, the Base Commander at JBLM - he has been so instrumental in making today a reality.

“I’d also like to thank our partners from Microsoft and Launch Consulting who are here today.

“And most importantly, I’d like to thank the friends, family, and
colleagues who are all here to support the service men and women we’re
honoring today.

“All of us - whether we’re business owners, educators, or elected
officials - are working hard to support your sons and daughters,
brothers and sisters, and moms and dads who serve in the military, but
there is no greater support structure for veterans and members of the
military than their families and loved ones….so before we honor these
graduates - I also want to thank all of you: for supporting them and
for the sacrifices you’ve made, too, to make today possible.

“And you know, speaking with all of you here today is really a
special moment for me. I’ve been in the US Senate for more than 20 years
now. I’ve lived around military families here in Washington state for
my entire life, and I’m the daughter of a World War II veteran, so,
speaking with veterans, service members, and their families is something
I’m used to.

“But throughout my career, and really, throughout my entire
life...I’ve mostly seen what veterans and their families go through when
they don’t have access to the care they need after serving, when they
don’t have support and opportunities to start new lives as a civilians,
and when they don’t have support from the communities and institutions
that make up the places they call home.

“So today - really - is one of the very few opportunities I’ve had to
stand with members of our military, veterans, and their families, to
celebrate something we’re doing right.

“Now - everyone here knows well - probably many of you know firsthand
- that military service is tough. It’s not for the faint of heart…but
transitioning from military to civilian life isn’t easy, either.

“And I really believe that right now, we’re living in a defining
moment when it comes to the treatment of our nation’s veterans and
helping current service members transition out. It’s a time when our
older veterans population – including so many of our Vietnam veterans –
are increasingly relying on VA care.

“But we’re also at a pivotal point - an opportunity we cannot afford
to miss - to properly care for an entire generation of post-9/11
veterans, who have endured a decade of repeated deployments,
unbelievable stress on their families, and the visible and invisible
wounds of war

“That challenge - to meet the needs of these brave men and women not
decades down the road, but from the moment they begin the process of
transitioning to civilian life - is truly one of our nation’s great
tasks at hand.

“And right here, in the backyard of our country’s most important military bases - all of you know that better than most.

“Since 9/11, nearly 3 million Americans have served in the military,
and every year 6,000 men and women from JBLM transition to civilian
life, and combined with others from across the country, 13,000 veterans
begin their civilian lives here in Washington state each year...and each
one them faces a job market that is uncertain and highly-competitive.

“It’s a problem that they face along with millions of other
Americans...but for veterans, many of the barriers to employment are
unique.

“Most of these men and women have spent the last decade being shuttled back and forth to war-zones half a world away…

“And when it’s time to make big changes and start new careers the
road home isn’t always smooth, the red tape is often long, and the
transition from the battlefield to the workplace is never easy.

“So for too long, veterans have often been left behind by their peers
who didn’t make the same sacrifices for their nation at a critical time
in their lives.

“For too long, many veterans haven’t realized the skills they possess and their value in the workplace.

“And for too long, they’ve been discouraged by a job market that is unfamiliar to them after their service.

“But all of us here know that’s not right.

“We know the men and women here today and all our veterans have the
leadership ability, discipline, and technical skills to not only find
work, but excel in growing industries and jobs of the future.

“You know, a few years ago, I became the Chair of the Senate
Veterans’ Affairs Committee, and one of the first things I did was
criss-cross Washington state to different worker retraining programs, VA
facilities, and veterans halls to hear first hand from veterans what
challenges they were facing.

“And over a few months, I had some heartbreaking and frustrating conversations.

“I heard from veterans who said they no longer wrote that they’re a
veteran on their resume because of the stigma they believed employers
attach to the invisible wounds of war.

“I heard from medics who returned home from treating battlefield
wounds and couldn’t get certifications to be an EMT or to drive an
ambulance.

“I talked to veterans who told me that the military spent countless
hours getting them the skills to do their job in the field, but little
time teaching them how to translate those skills into the workplace.

“Sometimes - the problems were very complicated. Other times - they were simple issues.

“But what struck me the most was that more often than not - these issues were preventable.

“We were patting our veterans on the back to thank them for their
service, but then we just sent them out into the job market alone -
without the basic help they needed.

“And it showed.

“Double-digit unemployment for veterans was the norm, the status quo.
In 2011, the average unemployment rate for returning veterans was over
12 percent. And one out of every four veterans between the ages of 20
and 24 was without a job.

“So I got started working with members of both parties - Republicans
and Democrats - to write the VOW to Hire Heroes Act - which, I’m proud
to say, became the law of the land just a few months later.

“The VOW Act, as we call it, created ways to ease the transition from the battlefield to the working world.

“For the first time, it required broad job skills training for every
service member as they leave the military as part of the military’s
Transition Assistance Program.

“It allowed service members to begin the federal employment process
prior to separation and have a truly seamless transition from the
military to jobs in government.

“And it required the Department of Labor to take a hard look at what
military skills and training should be translatable into the civilian
sector in order to make it simpler for our veterans to get the licenses
and certifications they need.

“Most importantly - it helped military bases across the country, like
JBLM, start their own programs to help service men and women
transition.

“And as we stand here today unemployment among recent veterans is way
down - on par with the rest of the country, post-9/11 veterans are
being hired at a faster rate than non-veterans, and at JBLM, where 45%
of service members once participated in transition assistance programs -
90% of the men and women transitioning to civilian life are getting the
help they deserve.

“Now, these programs have been a huge success - but they’re only part of the puzzle.

“Because no matter how much we do to prepare our veterans for the
workplace - we can’t succeed in fully transitioning them to civilian
life without strong, lasting partnerships with businesses, labor
organizations, colleges, and universities.

“And that’s why this program and this ceremony today are so special -
because right here, we have top-ranking military leaders from JBLM,
executives from Microsoft - one of our nation’s most successful
businesses, and educators from Saint Martin’s University all working
together to create a seamless, successful transition for men and women
who’ve worn the uniform.

“I can tell you - when I wrote the VOW Act, this is exactly what I hoped and envisioned for all our nation’s veterans...

...and let’s also give credit where it’s due: because the transition
program at JBLM is setting the standard for military bases around the
country.

“That’s something for Col. Hodges to be proud of, but it’s also
something that Saint Martin’s, Microsoft, and all of us in the Puget
Sound can be proud of

“Trust me - I’m going to brag about this to my colleagues back in Washington, DC.

“So, to the twenty-two
graduates here today and to your families - congratulations - you
deserve all the opportunities and successes that lay ahead of you.

“And for the rest of us -
let’s take a good look at the accomplishments of the men and women here
today and replicate it , not only for every transitioning service member
at JBLM, but for all of those in Kitsap, Everett, Spokane, and across
the country.

“So thank you again - I’m
thrilled to be here as the first class graduates from this program, but
I’m even more thrilled that this is only the beginning.

About Me

I'm a black working mother. I love to laugh and between work and raising kids, I need a good laugh. I'm also a community member of The Common Ills. Shout outs to any Common Ills community members stopping by. Big shout out to C.I. for all the help getting this started. I am not married to Thomas Friedman, credit me with better taste, please. This site is a parody.